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                                                                                      NATASZA KOSAKOWSKA-BEREZECKA

                                                          natasza.kosakowska@ug.edu.pl

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Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka is a Full Professor and Head of the Division of Cross-Cultural and Gender Psychology at the University of Gdańsk (Poland). Her research centers on cultural factors that promote gender equality across societies worldwide, as well as on backlash against communal men and the cross-cultural universality of precarious manhood.

 

Her work has been published in leading journals, including Social Psychological and Personality Science, European Journal of Social Psychology, Psychology of Men and Masculinities, and the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. Currently, she has been a Principal Investigator in two international projects: Towards Gender Harmony, in which more than 160 scholars from 62 countries have built an international consortium that collected data from over 30,000 participants across 6 continents to analyze contemporary understandings of masculinity and femininity (https://towardsgenderharmony.ug.edu.pl ) and EQUAMAN – project investigating the relationship between masculine norms & adolescent and adult men’s well being.

 

She is an active member of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) and a former Regional Representative for Europe of the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP). She also serves on the organizing team of the IACCP Culture & Psychology Summer School and has organized seven editions of this event.

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As a diversity and inclusion expert, she co-authored the Integrative Model for Migrants for the City of Gdańsk, Poland. She contributed to numerous training and outreach initiatives to foster gender equality across organizations in various sectors, including Deloitte, Dynatrace, HSBC, Intel, L'Oréal, Nike, Thomson Reuters, Ulstein, Wavemakers, and many others.

 

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Selected recent publications, full publication record: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3503-3921

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  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (2025). Beyond WEIRDs – How we advanced theories of gender beliefs – Insights from Toward Gender Harmony Project. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(2), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1213 

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., & Easterbrook, M. J. (2025). Contextualizing identities with fundamental inequalities: Commentary on “Beyond Identity: A Framework for the Study of Social Inequalities and Social Change.” Psychological Inquiry, 36(2), 125–128. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2025.2513816

  • Żadkowska, M., Szlendak, T., Kossakowski, R., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (2025)What makes a man unmanly? The global concept of ‘unmanliness’. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 348 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04667-5

  • Zawisza, M., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Glick, P., Olech, M., Besta, T., Jurek, P., Sobiecki, J., Best, D. L., Bosson, J. K., Vandello, J. A., Safdar, S., Włodarczyk, A., & Żadkowska, M. (2025). Worse for Women, Bad for All: A 62-Nation Study Confirms and Extends Ambivalent Sexism Principles to Reveal Greater Social Dysfunction in Sexist Nations. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506241302882

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Besta. T., Jurek, P., Olech, M., Sobiecki, J., Bosson, J., Vandello, J, Best, D., Zawisza, M., Safdar, S., Włodarczyk, A., Żadkowska, M. (2024). Towards Gender Harmony Dataset: Gender Beliefs and Gender Stereotypes in 62 Countries. Nature Scientific Data, 10.1038/s41597-024-03235-x

  • Van Laar, C., Van Rossum, A., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Buongiorno, R., Block, K. (2024). Paradoxes of Diversity and Inclusion: MANdatory - Why men need (and are needed in) gender equality progress. Frontiers in Psychology, 3,5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1263313

  • ​Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Sawicki, A., Celikkol, G., Bosson, J.K., Van Laar, C., Van Rossun, A., Best, D., Jurek, P., Besta, T., Olech, M., Glick, P. (2024). Does Culture Moderate Gender Stereotypes? Individualism Predicts Communal (but Not Agentic) Prescriptions for Men Across 62 Nations. Social Psychological and Personality Science, online first. https://doi.org/10.1177/194855062312219

  • Vandello, J.A., Upton, R.A., Wilkerson, M.,..., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. et al (2023). Cultural Beliefs About Manhood Predict Anti-LGBTQ+ Attitudes and Policies. Sex Roles 88, 442–458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01365-x

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Bosson, J. K., Jurek, P., Best, D. L., Besta, T., … Žukauskienė, R. (2022). Gendered self-views across 62 countries: A test of competing models. Social Psychological and Personality Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506221129687

  • Vandello, J. A., Wilkerson, M., Bosson, J. K., Wiernik, B., & Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (2022). Precarious manhood and men’s physical health around the world. Psychology of Men & Masculinities. 24(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000407

  • Bosson, J. K., Wilkerson, M., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Jurek, P., & Olech, M. (2022). Harder won and easier lost? Testing the double standard in gender rules in 62 countries. Sex Roles, 87, 1–19 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-022-01297-y

  • Bosson, J. K., Jurek, P., Vandello, J. A., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Olech, M., Besta, T., Bender, M., Hoorens, V., Becker, M., Timur Sevincer, A., Best, D. L., Safdar, S., Włodarczyk, A., Zawisza, M., Żadkowska, M., Abuhamdeh, S., Badu Agyemang, C., Akbaş, G., Albayrak-Aydemir, N., … Žukauskienė, R. (2021). Psychometric Properties and Correlates of Precarious Manhood Beliefs in 62 Nations. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(3), 231–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022121997997

  • Valved, T., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Besta, T., & Martiny, S. E. (2021). Gender belief systems through the lens of culture—Differences in precarious manhood beliefs and reactions to masculinity threat in Poland and Norway. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 22(2), 265–276. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000331

  • Kosakowska‐Berezecka, N, Besta, T, Bosson, JK, et al. (2020). Country‐level and individual‐level predictors of men's support for gender equality in 42 countries. Eur J Soc Psychol. 1276– 1291. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2696

  • Vescio, T. & Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (2020). The not so subtle and status quo maintaining nature of every day Sexism. In: F. Cheung & D. Halpern (Eds.), Cambridge International Handbook on   Psychology of Women.

  • Besta, T., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (2017). Między grupami. Przewodnik po relacjach z ludźmi, którzy się od nas różnią [Between groups. Practical guide on how to build relations with people who are different from us]. Smak Słowa.

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Żadkowska, M., Gajewska, M., Wroczyńska, A., Znaniecka, M. (2016). On course on work-life balance. Manual for Trainers. University of Gdansk Publishing.

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Besta, T. Adamska, K., Jaśkiewicz, M., Jurek, P. Vandello, J.A., (2016). If My Masculinity is Threatened I Won’t Support Gender Equality? The Role of Agentic Self-Stereotyping in Restoration of Manhood and Perception of Gender Relations. Psychology of Men and Masculinity. dx.doi.org/10.1037/men0000016 

  • Safdar, S., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N. (Eds.) (2015). Psychology of gender through the lens of culture: theories and applications. Springer.

  • Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., & Besta, T. (2013). Cultural sensitivity and intergroup conflicts – how to be culturally intelligent and nip the conflict in the bud? In: S. Mrozowska, T. Besta & A. Zgrundo (eds.), Educational challenges in the cultural space of European Union. Gdańsk:  Wydawnictwo UG.

  • N. Kosakowska-Berezecka, A. Chybicka, P. Pawlicka (Eds.). (2012) Podróże między kobiecością a męskością. Kraków: Oficyna Wydawnicza Impuls. (Eng. When women and men lose in the eyes of others – on social punishments for counterstereotypical behaviour).

  • Chybicka, A., Kosakowska-Berezecka, N., Petrus, P. (2010), Wielokulturowość w organizacji – wyzwania dla zarządzania, W: A.M. Zawadzka (red). Psychologia zarządzania w organizacji, Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 41-74.

 

Areas of expertise:

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  • Gender Identities

  • Identity Threat

  • Gender Stereotypes

  • Diversity & Inclusion

  • Cross-Cultural Psychology

  • Collective actions to support equality

  • Migration

 

Work experience:

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2024-present

  • Full Professor & Head in Division of Cross-Cultural and Gender Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk

  • Co-head of the Protest Lab, https://protestlab.ug.edu.pl/

  • Coordinator of a 2-year cross-cultural & gender psychology MA program for students. 

2019- 2024

  • Associate Professor & Head in Division of Cross-Cultural and Gender Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk

  • Co-head of the Protest Lab, https://protestlab.ug.edu.pl/

  • Coordinator of a 2-year cross-cultural & gender psychology MA program for students. 

2008 – 2019 

  • Assistant Professor in the Division of Cross-Cultural and Gender Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk

2017 - present

  • co-organizer of IACCP Culture & Psychology Summer School

2006-2008

  • Lecturer & Researcher in the Division of Cross-Cultural and Gender Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk

2003 – present

Trainer, educator, mediator, and diversity & inclusion expert, designed and delivered training programs on gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, and conflict management in multicultural settings for a wide range of organizations, e.g., ABB, Bluemedia, BPH, BRE Leasing, BRE Bank, Det Norske Veritas, Deloitte, Dr Irena Eris, Energa, the European Solidarity Centre, Farm Frites, GFKM, HSBC, Intel, L’Oréal, LOTOS, LPP, MPK Łódź, NSZZ Solidarność, Polkomtel SA, Remontowa Shipbuilding, Schenker, Thomson Reuters, Ulstein, and Wavemakers, as well as numerous NGOs and local and national authorities (over 2000 hours of training delivered).

 

Education:

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2025: full professorship title

2019: habilitation: Gender stereotyping across cultural and cross-cultural contexts, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk.

2008: PhD, thesis title: The influence of personal and social identity on the perception of gender roles, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk.

2003: MA, thesis title: Judgement of women and men in stereotypical and counterstereotypical roles across life span, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdańsk.

2005: Summer School, Mediation and other methods to foster democratic dialogue, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary

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Project management (selected):

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Principal Investigator:

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2022-2025: MASCULINITY NAVIGATOR – unpacking the relationship between masculine roles, well-being, and gender equality (EQUAMAN), financed by OPUS 21 grant from the National Science Centre in Poland (2021/41/B/HS6/00617)

2018-2021: Towards Gender Harmony, NCN HARMONIA, nr UMO-2017/26/M/HS6/00360, partnerzy: Jennifer Bosson (University of South Florida, USA) (main collaborator); Saba Safdar (University of Guelph, Canada), Joseph Vandello (University of South Florida, USA) (main collaborator), Anna Wlodarczyk (Universidad Catolica del Norte), Magdalena Zawisza (Anglia Ruskin University, UK)  (637.000 PLN), www.towardsgenderharmony.ug.edu.pl

2017: Cross-national gender research: What comparisons of different cultural contexts can tell us about gender and gender roles” (GENCUL), Polish-Norwegian Research Grant, FWD/71/2017, partners: dr Sarah Martiny, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norwegia  (19355,85 PLN)

2013-2016 – Norway Grants, Core Call 2012 -  Socio-Cultural and Psychological Predictors of Work-Life Balance And Gender Equality: CrossCultural Comparison of Polish And Norwegian Families. No PolNor/202343/62/2013 (2900000 PLN)

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Main Collaborator/Co-Applicant:

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2024–2026: Examining the role of religious affiliation and gender in the relationship between religiosity and beliefs supporting social inequalities, a project funded under the PRELUDIUM 49 competition of the National Science Centre (UMO-2023/49/N/HS6/01936), funding amount: 92,700 PLN/€18.000

2023–2025: Towards a new and culturally sensitive understanding of gender inequality: Women and men in modern (work) life (#Gindex Project), a project funded by the Norwegian Research Council, Center for Applied Studies, principal investigator: Maria Olsson, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway.

2023-2026: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions grant: RE-WIRING: Realising Girls’ and Women's Inclusion, Representation and Empowerment Activity: HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-05, 101094497

2021-2025: MINDtheGEPS - Modifying institutions by developing the gender equality plans, G.A NO 101006543, Horyzont 2020 (296 274 125   EUR), leader: National Research Council, Italy, https://mindthegeps.eu/about/

2020-2022: ResBios, GA 872146, Horyzont 2020, 1 500 000  EUR, leader:  University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT) ResBios will embed Responsible Research and Innovation-RRI- practices within four universities and research institutions in the field of Biosciences in 4 European countries, through the implementation of RRI Grounding Actions, to achieve sustainable institutional changes - we are in the process of implementing these actions and publications will follow. https://resbios.eu/

2020: Will COVID-19 increase educational inequalities? University of Sussex, University of Lueven (KUL), University of Gdańsk

2019: Understanding Communal Orientation in Men - international consortium: https://ucom2017.wordpress.com/

2019-2020: Bridge of Data. Multidisciplinary Open Knowledge Transfer System - stage II: Open Research Data’ project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Program Digital Poland 2014-2020. Goal of the project: Digitally providing public sector information from administrative and science resources

2016 – 2020: Gender equality in Starbios 2 (Horizon 2020), from 2016, Structural Transformation to Attain, in collaboration with Università degli studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Oxford University – Medical Sciences Division,  Agrobioinstitute from Sofia, Univerza na Primorskem-Università del Litorale, Universität Bremen and Aarhus Universitet

 

Memberships of scientific associations:

Since 2006         International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology (Executive Council member, Regional Representative for Europe)

Since 2010         European Association of Social Psychology

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